System and method for providing an adaptive user interface on an electronic appliance

ABSTRACT

A controllable device, such as a set top box, responds to a transmission received from a one of a plurality of controlling devices of differing capabilities by entering into a one of a plurality of operating modes wherein the one of the plurality of operating modes entered into corresponds to the capabilities of the controlling device from which the transmission originated.

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/380,860, filed Sep. 8, 2010. The disclosure within that applicationis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Consumer electronic appliances such as set top boxes for receiving anddecoding cable and satellite signals, televisions, DVD players, gamesystems, etc. are well known in the art, as are the hand heldcontrolling devices, for example remote controls, which may be providedfor use in issuing commands to these appliances. In some instances thesecontrolling devices may be made available in various forms, for examplecoded to assist in recognition of individual users in a household;optimized for a specific function such as game playing, web browsing, ormovie watching; or specially adapted to the needs of the elderly or ofchildren. While such controlling devices may serve the purposes forwhich they were intended, in some instances it would be advantageous ifthe controlled appliance were further enabled to recognize the nature ofthe controlling device currently in use and adapt its applianceconfiguration, menuing system, GUI, etc. accordingly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to systems in which more than onecontrolling device may be available for the operation of an appliance orgroup of appliances, and in which different controlling devices may eachbe enabled to convey a specific identity to a controlled appliance tofacilitate adaptation of appliance features and/or configuration inaccordance with the controlling device currently in use. As appropriatefor a particular embodiment, such a controlling device identity may takethe form of a data field embedded within a conventional commandtransmission frame or may comprise a separate, discrete transmission.Additionally, according to the particular embodiment the controllingdevice identity may be communicated in conjunction with every commandtransmission; communicated only in conjunction with certain commands orkeystrokes (for example menu initiation); communicated in conjunctionwith detected events such as a user picking up a controlling device; ora combination thereof.

In response to a received controlling device identity, a targetappliance may adjust its GUI display, offer a different set of menuchoices, reconfigure its mode of operation or functionality, etc. Forexample, as presented hereafter by way of illustrative embodiment, a settop box may be adapted to present different versions of an on-screenprogram guide GUI, each optimized to the population for which thecontrolling device currently in use is particularly intended, viz:Regular users, elderly users, or children.

A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, propertiesand relationships of the invention will be obtained from the followingdetailed description and accompanying drawings which set forthillustrative embodiments and which are indicative of the various ways inwhich the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various aspects of the invention,reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the attacheddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system in which multiple controllingdevices and a set top box configured in accordance with the instantinvention may be utilized;

FIG. 2 further illustrates the exemplary controlling devices of thesystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of exemplary components of anexemplary controlling device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of exemplary components of theexemplary set top box of FIG. 1:

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b illustrate the steps of an exemplary method foradapting the operation of the set top box of FIG. 1 in accordance withthe controlling device currently in use;

FIG. 6 illustrates the exemplary operation of the set top box of FIG. 1when used in conjunction with a first exemplary controlling device;

FIG. 7 illustrates the exemplary operation of the set top box of FIG. 1when used in conjunction with a second exemplary controlling device;

FIG. 8 illustrates the exemplary operation of the set top box of FIG. 1when used in conjunction with a third exemplary controlling device; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a second exemplary system in which multiplecontrolling devices and an appliance configured in accordance with theinstant invention may be utilized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to FIG. 1, an exemplary system is illustrated whereinseveral controlling devices 100,101,102 may be provided for the purposeof commanding the operation of a digital set top box (“STB”) 104. As isknown in the art, controlling devices 100 through 102 may be capable oftransmitting commands to the STB using any convenient IR, RF,Point-to-Point, or networked protocol, to cause the STB to performoperational functions. As is also known in the art, one or more ofcontrolling devices 100 through 102 may comprise so-called “universal”functionality, that is be equipped with a library of command code setssuitable for controlling multiple appliances of different manufacture,for example to enable control of the sound volume of a TV set 106 beingused to render the audio/video output stream originating from STB 104.With reference to FIG. 2, while all being capable of commanding theoperation of STB 104, each of the controlling devices may befunctionally, visually, and/or ergonomically optimized for a particularuser population. For example, controlling device 100 may comprise ageneric or standard controlling device, shipped with every unit of STB104 and capable of controlling all available functions of the STBincluding set-up, configuration, etc., and intended for use by regularand/or technically adept users. In contrast, controlling device 101 maycomprise fewer, larger buttons which function to control only theeveryday functionality of STB 104, and may be intended to simplifyaccess to STB-provided services by elderly subscribers. In someembodiments, controlling device 101 may also incorporate an emergencyalert (“panic button”) for summoning assistance, as contemplated forexample in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/956,44.Controlling device 102 may comprise even fewer buttons packaged in avisually appealing and/or brightly colored housing which may bedimensionally adapted for smaller hands, and may be intended for use bychildren.

Returning now to the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 with particularreference to FIG. 3, for use in commanding the functional operations ofone or more appliances each exemplary controlling device 100 through 102(hereafter exemplified by controlling device 100) may include aprocessor 300 coupled to a ROM memory 304, a RAM memory 305, a keymatrix 316 (e.g., hard keys, soft keys such as a touch sensitive surfaceoverlaid on a liquid crystal (LCD), transmission circuit(s) and/ortransceiver circuit(s) 310 (e.g., IR and/or RF), clock and timer logic312 with associated crystal or resonator 314, a power source 324 such asbattery, and as required for a particular embodiment, a non-volatileread/write memory 306 such as Flash, battery backed up SRAM, etc., means302 to provide feedback to the user (e.g., one or more LEDs, display,speaker, and/or the like), an input/output port 318 such as a serialinterface, USB port, modem, Zigbee, WiFi, or Bluetooth transceiver,etc., means 320 for backlighting a LCD display or keypad, and means 322to detect the device being touched or picked up by a user such as a tiltswitch, accelerometer, touch sensor, proximity sensor, inclinometer,etc.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, some or all of thememories 304, 305, 306 may include executable instructions(collectively, the controlling device program memory) that are intendedto be executed by the processor 300 to control the operation ofcontrolling device 100, as well as data which serves to define to theoperational software the necessary control protocols and command valuesfor use in transmitting command signals to controllable appliances(collectively, the command data). In this manner, the processor 300 maybe programmed to control the various electronic components within thecontrolling device 100, e.g., to monitor the key matrix 316, to causethe transmission of signals, etc. The non-volatile read/write memory306, for example an EEPROM, battery-backed up RAM, FLASH, Smart Card,memory stick, or the like, may additionally be provided to store setupdata and parameters as necessary. While the memory 304 is illustratedand described as a ROM memory, memory 304 can also be comprised of anytype of readable media, such as ROM, FLASH, EEPROM, or the like.Preferably, read/write memories 304 and 305 are non-volatile orbattery-backed such that data is not required to be reloaded afterbattery changes. In addition, the memories 304, 305 and 306 may take theform of a chip, a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, and/orthe like. Still further, it will be appreciated that some or all of theillustrated memory devices may be physically combined (for example, asingle FLASH memory may be logically partitioned into different portionsto support the functionality of memories 304 and 306 respectively),and/or may be physically incorporated within the same IC chip as themicroprocessor 300 (a so called “microcontroller”) and, as such, theyare shown separately in FIG. 3 only for the sake of clarity.

To cause the controlling device 100 to perform an action, thecontrolling device 100 may be adapted to be responsive to events, suchas a sensed user interaction with the key matrix 316, detection of atriggering event via an appropriate trigger sensor, etc. In response toan event, appropriate instructions within the program memory (hereafterthe “controlling device operating program”) may be executed. Forexample, when a function key is actuated on controlling device 100, thecontrolling device 100 may retrieve from the command data stored inmemory 304, 305, 306 a command value and control protocol correspondingto the actuated function key and, where necessary, current device mode,and transmit that command to an intended target appliance, e.g., TV 106or STB 104, in a format recognizable by that appliance to therebycontrol one or more functional operations of that appliance. Inaccordance with the teachings of this invention, in some embodiments thetransmitted command value may further incorporate a controlling devicetype identifier as described in greater detail hereafter. It will beappreciated that the operating program can be used not only to cause thetransmission of commands and/or data to the appliances, but also toperform other operations. While not limiting, other operations that maybe performed by the controlling device 100 may include displayinginformation/data, favorite channel setup, macro key setup, function keyrelocation, etc. Examples of local operations may be found in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,481,256, 5,959,751, and 6,014,092.

In certain embodiments, controlling device 100 may be universal, thatis, adaptable to issue commands to a multiplicity of appliances ofdifferent type and/or manufacture. In such cases, for selecting a set ofcommand data to be associated with an appliance to be controlled, datamay be provided to the controlling device 100 that serves to identify anintended target appliance by its type and make (and sometimes model).Such data allows the controlling device 100 to identify the appropriatecommand data within a preprogrammed library of command data that is tobe used to transmit recognizable commands in a format appropriate forsuch identified appliances. Since the operation and features of suchuniversal controlling devices are well known in the art, for the sake ofbrevity these will not be discussed further herein.

Turning now to FIG. 4, an exemplary STB 104 may include, as needed for aparticular application, a processor 400 coupled to a memory 402 whichmay comprise RAM, ROM, and/or Flash memory; a power supply 404; a harddisk (HDD) interface 406 and associated disk drive 408, for example tosupport DVR functionality; a smart card and/or PCMIA interface 410 whererequired to accommodate service enablement/decryption cards 412; otherinput/output interfaces 414 such as USB, Ethernet, etc.; a front panelinterface 418 with associated front panel keypad 420 and display means422; a remote control receiver or transceiver 424 for reception ofsignal from a controlling device 100; analog video and audio outputs426,428; digital audio/video and audio outputs 430,432; and one or moretuners 416 for receiving and demodulating a cable or satellite signal.As will be appreciated, in general tuner 416 may be capable of receivingboth one or more digital media streams comprising program content and aso called out-of-band data stream comprising, for example, program guideinformation, software updates, etc.

As is known in the art, programming instructions may be stored in memory402 which when executed by processor 400 may enable the STB appliance104 to receive and decode digital media and data streams from tuner 416;to store received media content and data on HDD 408 or in memory 402; tooutput received (from tuner 416) or retrieved (from HDD 408) mediacontent via one or more of the output ports 426 through 432; to monitorother I/O ports 414 for activity; to receive, decode, and act upon usercommands received from controlling device 100 or input via front panel420; to display program guide information, listings of stored content,or setup and configuration menus at user request and act upon anyresulting user input; etc.

Controlling devices 100 through 102 may incorporate device identity datainto their command transmissions to STB 104, for example withoutlimitation as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,266,701 or 7,167,913, bothof common ownership. In summary, U.S. Pat. No. 7,266,701 describes acommand transmission protocol wherein each data frame transmittedincludes a 2-bit ID field, i.e. allowing for up to four separatecontrolling device identities; while U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,913 describes acommand transmission protocol wherein each data frame transmittedincludes a 5-bit TAG field, all or part of which may be utilized forcontrolling device identification, i.e. allowing for up to as many as 32separate controlling device identities. For a more detailed descriptionof the exact encoding schemes and frame formats used by these protocols,the interested reader may refer to the disclosures of those patents,both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

As is known in the art, programming instructions stored in the memory ofan STB (hereafter, “STB programming”) may be responsive to, inter alia,receipt of a “guide” command to invoke an interactive program guide or a“menu” command to enable STB configuration and adjustment. In accordancewith the teachings of this invention, the STB programming stored inmemory 402 of an exemplary STB 104 for use in the system of FIG. 1 maybe further enabled to adapt program guide and/or configuration GUIs andcapabilities based upon the identity of the controlling device whichissued the command to initiate that operation, as will now be describedin conjunction with FIGS. 5 a and 5 b.

Upon receipt of a command from a controlling device, for example viaremote control receiver 424, a step 502 the STB programming maydetermine if the received command transmission constitutes a “guide”command. If so, at step 504 the STB programming may examine thecontrolling device identity information contained within that commandtransmission to determine if the transmission originated from children'sremote 102. If so at step 516 the operating mode of STB 104 may be setto “child” and at step 518 a program guide display suitable forinteraction with a child may be displayed. By way of example, asillustrated in FIG. 8 such a program guide may comprise a simplified GUI800 featuring colorful channel logos each corresponding to a single oneof a group of direct-access buttons 802 provisioned on controllingdevice 102. With reference to the operational mode setting of step 516,by way of further explanation, in the exemplary implantation the settingof an operating mode in response to receipt of a controlling deviceidentity embedded in a command such as “guide” or “menu” may be requiredto enable interpretation of subsequently received commands, for exampleGUI navigation inputs, to be consistent with the currently displayed GUIand/or the capabilities and features of the controlling device presentlyin use. As will become evident, this operating mode may be reset uponexit from the currently displayed GUI. As will also be appreciated, inother embodiments such functionality may be achieved through differentmeans, for example a controlling device equipped with an accelerometer,capacitive touch sensor, or other such hardware may initiate a specificidentification transmission upon initially detecting that it has beenpicked up by a user.

If the received device identity is not that of a children's remote, atstep 506 the STB programming may next determine if the controllingdevice identity information indicates that the command transmissionoriginated from a senior remote 101. If so at step 512 the operatingmode of STB 104 may be set to “senior” and at step 510 a program guidedisplay adapted for use by senior citizens may be presented. By way ofexample, as illustrated in FIG. 7, such a guide display 700 may comprisea magnified or zoomed version of the standard guide 600 of FIG. 6, forgreater legibility. Alternatively or in conjunction with zooming, insome embodiments the number of programming choices presented may also bereduced, for example limited to a preconfigured list of favorites.

If the received device identity is not that of a senior remote, the STBprogramming may then assume that the command transmission originatedfrom a standard remote 100 (or, alternatively in some embodiments froman aftermarket universal remote control which does not supportcontrolling device identity), set the operating mode of STB 104 to“standard” and present a default standard guide display, for example 600as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Returning to step 502, if the STB programming determines that thereceived command transmission does not constitute a “guide” command,then at step 520 it is next determined if the received commandtransmission constitutes a “menu” command. If so, at step 528 (FIG. 5 b)the STB programming may examine the controlling device identityinformation contained within that command transmission to determine ifthe transmission originated from children's remote 102. If so, thecommand is ignored and processing is completed at step 540. By way ofexplanation, in the illustrative embodiment children's remote 102 maynot be permitted to initiate STB configuration adjustments. It will beappreciated that while in some embodiments this may be achieved bysimply not provisioning child's controlling device 102 with a “Menu”key, in other cases this may not be possible, for example where a singlephysical controlling device design may be adapted for various userpopulations by means of setup programming, jumpers, identity plug-inmodules, etc.

If the received device identity is not that of a children's remote, atstep 530 the STB programming may next determine if the controllingdevice identity information indicates that the command transmissionoriginated from a senior remote 101. If so, at step 532 the operatingmode of STB 104 may be set to “senior” and a simplified STBconfiguration menu presented at step 534. Such a menu may comprise, forexample, only basic settings necessary for day-to-day use of STB 104,and exclude adjustments which are chiefly required during initial setupor reconfiguration of STB 104.

If the received device identity is not that of a children's remote or asenior remote, then at step 530 the STB programming may set the STBoperating mode to “standard” and at step 538 may display a complete menuof STB configuration options. By way of example, options presented mayinclude configuration of the audio/video output of STB 104 to match TV106, i.e. video resolution, picture aspect ratio, sound channels, etc.;setting of OSD timeouts and configurations for STB originated messages;selection of channel icons to be displayed while the STB is operating in“child” mode; etc. Returning to step 520 (FIG. 5 a), if the receivedcommand is neither a “guide” nor a “menu” command, at step 522 the STBprogramming may next determine if the received command comprises a“select” or an “exit” command, i.e., a command which will result in thetermination of an interactive menu or program guide GUI session. If so,at step 524 any currently set STB operating mode may be cleared prior toexecuting the received command at step 526.

In a further exemplary embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 9, an appliancesuch as an AV receiver 902 which is connected to and capable ofswitching between multiple source and sink devices such as TV set 106,cable STB 104, or DVD player 904 may be adapted to detect which one ofseveral controlling devices 906 through 908, each corresponding to oneof devices 104, 106 or 904, is currently in use and may configure itselfaccordingly—for example selecting appropriate inputs and outputs,setting audio volume and equalization levels, etc. While such anarrangement may be particularly advantageous when all devices involvedare of the same manufacture and share a standardized command protocoland transmission format in order to facilitate controlling deviceidentification, it will be appreciated that other techniques are alsopossible, for example AV receiver 902 may be provided with a universalIR receiver capable of identifying and decoding the command transmissionformats of a multiplicity of manufactures, such as described for examplein U.S. Pat. No. 7,042,366, incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

While various concepts have been described in detail, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications andalternatives to those concepts could be developed in light of theoverall teachings of the disclosure. For example, in an alternateembodiment, a consumer electronic device or system which is capable ofoperating in more than one mode, such as a gaming console which may alsofunction as a DVD player; an Internet enabled TV which supports not onlyregular television viewing but also Web browsing, email, or IPtelephony; etc.; may be provisioned with multiple controlling deviceseach optimized for a particular function, and may adapt video or audioparameters, user menus, input and output ports or formats, etc. inaccordance with the controlling device currently in the possession of auser, i.e. upon being used and/or upon being picked up.

Further, while described in the context of functional modules andillustrated using block diagram format, it is to be understood that,unless otherwise stated to the contrary, one or more of the describedfunctions and/or features may be integrated in a single physical deviceand/or a software module, or one or more functions and/or features maybe implemented in separate physical devices or software modules. It willalso be appreciated that a detailed discussion of the actualimplementation of each module is not necessary for an enablingunderstanding of the invention. Rather, the actual implementation ofsuch modules would be well within the routine skill of an engineer,given the disclosure herein of the attributes, functionality, andinter-relationship of the various functional modules in the system.Therefore, a person skilled in the art, applying ordinary skill, will beable to practice the invention set forth in the claims without undueexperimentation. It will be additionally appreciated that the particularconcepts disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting asto the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth ofthe appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

All patents cited within this document are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety.

1. A system, comprising: a controllable device; and a plurality ofcontrolling devices each adapted to command one or more functionaloperations of the controllable device wherein the plurality ofcontrolling devices have differing capabilities; wherein thecontrollable device responds to a received transmission originating froma one of the plurality of controlling devices by determining an identityof the one of the plurality of controlling devices from which thetransmission originated and by using the identity to enter into a one ofa plurality of operating modes wherein the one of the plurality ofoperating modes entered into corresponds to the capabilities of thecontrolling device from which the transmission originated.
 2. The systemas recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of operating modesis associated with one of a plurality of graphical user interfacedisplays.
 3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of theplurality of operating modes is associated with one of a plurality ofaudio and/or video input and/or output configurations.
 4. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of operating modes isassociated with one of a plurality of audio volume and/or equalizationlevel settings.
 5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein thecontrollable device comprises a set top box.
 6. The system as recited inclaim 1, wherein the plurality of controlling devices comprises aplurality of hand-held remote controls and wherein each of the pluralityof hand-held remote controls has an input interface that is reflectiveof its capabilities.
 7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein atleast one of the plurality of controlling devices transmits dataindicative of its identity in a transmission intended to control atleast one functional operation of the controllable device.
 8. The systemas recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality ofcontrolling devices transmits data indicative of its identity in atransmission apart from transmissions intended to control at least onefunctional operation of the controllable device.
 9. The system asrecited in claim 8, wherein the at least one of the plurality ofcontrolling devices is caused to transmit data indicative of itsidentity in the transmission apart from transmissions intended tocontrol at least one functional operation of the controllable deviceupon detecting that it has been picked up by a user.
 10. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of controllingdevices is a children's version of a remote control.
 11. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of controllingdevices is a senior's version of a remote control.
 12. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of controllingdevices communicates with the controllable device via use of an IRprotocol.
 13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe plurality of controlling devices communicates with the controllabledevice via use of a RF protocol.
 14. A method for effecting an operatingmode of a controllable device, the method comprising: receiving at thecontrollable device from a one of a plurality a controlling devices atransmission having data indicative of an identity of the one of theplurality of controlling devices, wherein the plurality of controllingdevices have differing capabilities; and using the identity of the oneof the plurality at the controllable device to enter into a one of aplurality of operating modes wherein the one of the plurality ofoperating modes entered into corresponds to the capabilities of the oneof the plurality of controlling devices from which the transmissionoriginated.
 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each of theplurality of operating modes is associated with one of a plurality ofgraphical user interface displays.
 16. The method as recited in claim14, wherein each of the plurality of operating modes is associated withone of a plurality of audio and/or video input and/or outputconfigurations.
 17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein each ofthe plurality of operating modes is associated with one of a pluralityof audio volume and/or equalization level settings.
 18. The method asrecited in claim 14, wherein the controllable appliance comprises a settop box.
 19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the plurality ofcontrolling devices comprises a plurality of hand-held remote controlsand wherein each of the plurality of hand-held remote controls has aninput interface that is reflective of its capabilities.
 20. The methodas recited in claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality ofcontrolling devices transmits data indicative of its identity in atransmission intended to control at least one functional operation ofthe controllable device.
 21. The method as recited in claim 14, whereinat least one of the plurality of controlling devices transmits dataindicative of its identity in a transmission apart from transmissionsintended to control at least one functional operation of thecontrollable device.
 22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein theat least one of the plurality of controlling devices is caused totransmit data indicative of its identity in the transmission apart fromtransmissions intended to control at least one functional operation ofthe controllable device upon detecting that it has been picked up by auser.
 23. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the controllabledevice causes a display of a children's version of a graphical userinterface in a one of the plurality of operating modes in response to atransmission from a controlling device having capabilities adapted foruse by a child.
 24. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein thecontrollable device causes a display of a senior's version of agraphical user interface in a one of the plurality of operating modes inresponse to a transmission from a controlling device having capabilitiesadapted for use by a senior citizen.
 25. The method as recited in claim14, wherein each of the plurality of controlling devices communicateswith the controllable appliance via use of an IR protocol.
 26. Themethod as recited in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality ofcontrolling devices communicates with the controllable appliance via useof a RF protocol.